Best Of
Re: how about drinking?
I’m just sorry they aren’t both gone. Wearing a bra makes a muscle in my back spasm. Not a problem in the winter but summer makes it harder to go bra less
wren44
Tumor Markers Rising
I'm back after a long respite. I was initially diagnosed nearly 14 years ago with ILC Stage IIIC. I did 10 years of Letrazole. I've moved around a bit and am currently living in a place where I get tumor marker testing. My CA 15.3 went from the top of the range ~29 in February to 89 currently.
I've been having pain in my left leg for about four months that was diagnosed as sciatica. I don't know whether this is related or not.
My onco appointment is Monday.
I am, of course, nervous, and I wondered if anyone else had been in a similar situation and how it turned out. I'm not very familiar with the CA 15.3, having not had tumor marker testing over most of the lasts 14 years (or scans for that matter).
Thank you!
mary625
Re: Xgeva concerns about whitening my teeth
@boneonboneinnola I'm really sorry to hear about your diagnosis and all you have been through. I don't know about whitening, but I have a very good dentist who instantly understood what a cancer diagnosis means, including the consequences of taking a bone strengthener like Xgeva or Zometa. She had all my teeth specially xrayed so that any future change could be noted. So I guess my advice is to make sure you have a really good dentist who can give you the low-down.
Re: Xgeva concerns about whitening my teeth
Sorry to hear about the bone mets. I was on semiannual Prolia shots for osteopenia for 3 years; 2 years later developed osteoporosis so am now on semiannual Prolia 10 years-to-life. Before beginning Prolia I had thorough dental exam and cleaning every 6 months; I now see my dentist every 3 months. I was warned about ONJ should I get extractions, implants or very deep root planing. So far, so good. I also underwent Invisalign orthodontia at 68 and still wear a retainer—which keeps my teeth stable and less likely to loosen & fall out.
Whitening—even professionally under UV light—is superficial and limited to the enamel. Ask your dentist, but I doubt it would pose any ONJ risk—even though Xgeva is monthly. (Same drug, different name, different indication). FWIW, when I thought I would be getting bisphosphonate infusions (Zometa/Reclast) because my GERD precludes the oral versions (Fosamax, Boniva, etc.), the dental pre-clearance was not required. I couldn't tolerate the Zometa, so that's why I switched.
chisandy
Re: Contemplative practices - Affirmations, white light visualizations, healing meditations
Hello everyone. I'm back. I've been on a major healing journey the past month. I've learned a lot. I still encounter my anxiety but hoping for it to get less and less on this journey. I've been thinking about all of you on this thread and wish you all so much peace.
hippmark
Re: Ibrance (Palbociclib)
@sf-cakes i love your bio! I say that all the time. Thank you. That’s so awesome to hear. Many to many more years
sully01
Re: Oncotype vs mammaprint
Grade 1, clean nodes, OncotypeDX 11? Low-risk. No chemo. Not only wouldn't it reduce your risk, it wouldn't even work on such slow-dividing cells. I take it you're pre-menopausal since you're on ovarian suppression to enable you to take an AI. Even so, you wouldn't even be intermediate risk with an Oncotype score below 16 (nowadays, for postmenopausal women, 20). Stick with the 5 years of the endocrine therapy combo and then reassess with your MO.
I wouldn't trust ChatGPT as far as I could throw it (virtually, of course). Dr. Google is similarly untrustworthy. Go with your oncologists' advice, get a second opinion if you want one (but you likely don't need one).
Heal well, and it'll be safe for you to "keep buying green bananas." (You've got a great prognosis).
chisandy
Re: Are you currently (or have you been) in a Clinical Trial?
@cure-ious Thank you for that. I suspect LM may be in my future, this is very informative and encouraging.
illimae
Re: How are people with liver mets doing?
@dulcea - Your very welcome for the good wishes. The NP I saw did not want to "go there" at all re my questions about the biopsy pathology results. She said I would have to wait until I see the oncologist, who is out for most of the month. I'm seeing another NP next week, and she actually "substitutes" for the doctors when they are not available (the other one is basically a palliative care person), plus she has a personality that is a little more conducive to maybe getting some answers to some questions. I click a little better with the one I'm seeing next week, so we'll see. The oncologist has told me that whatever is in my liver is very slow growing at this point and that there's no urgency, so I guess I can wait.
Re: Nervous about switch from Letrozole to Exemestane
sorry to hear you ended up in ER. I haven’t had sciatic pain. But get excruciating joint paint. Yesterday it was my right big toe and knee. Ugh.
Today my ribs are very mad but that could be from all the hack, hack, hacking I’m still having. Currently icing my ribs. They are responding nicely to nature’s pain reliever.
The countdown is on to get off Letrozole 9 days to go.
